Amazon Switches from Google to MSN for Alexa, A9, and Amazon search.

May 1st, 2006 by Chris

CNET Reports that Amazon.com has dropped it’s Google partnership for it’s search features at it’s various web properties like A9.com and Alexa.com.

People have speculated that this is in response to Google supposedly encroaching on Amazon’s turf with book search. Personally I doubt it. Amazon may have started as a book store but books aren’t its only product line anymore, far from it. It could be that Amazon is upset about Froogle, but then again Froogle has been around for quite awhile now.

More likely I think this is a result of Amazon launching it’s own new ad network like Google Adsense, Amazon-Sense if you will. As you may or may not know Amazon has experimented with featuring Adsense ad’s in various searches & product listings. I’m willing to bet that their agreement with Google accounts provides the search results for free or a mere nominal fee in exchange for the ad placement, it is a typical agreement for Google to make. Without the ad placement Amazon MSN simply probably offered Amazon a better deal, since they’re the ones playing catch-up in marketshare.

Consequently, A9 is looking pretty good if you ask me.

Posted in: Search Engine Optimization » by: Chris

One Response to “Amazon Switches from Google to MSN for Alexa, A9, and Amazon search.”

Mark Says:
May 1st, 2006 at 12:02 pm
Interesting move, to be sure. While Google is fast becoming the behemoth of the internets (if it ain’t already), the old standards like Amazon are still to be reckoned with, and a move like this will hopefully prompt a bit of resurgence for MSN search.